CoAEMSP News | October 2025

Top Ways to Make Accreditation Easier While Making Your Program Better

By Joanne Piccininni, EdD, NRP, MICP, and D. Troy Tuke, BSN, RN, NRP

We know our fellow paramedic education program directors are short on time. And as CoAEMSP board members, we know there are so many ways to maximize and streamline the accreditation process to make your program better. Here’s our quick list of tips:



Annual Report

• Utilize CoAEMSP staff if you have any confusion regarding which cohort data to report at which time. CoAEMSP staff are a great resource.
• The Analysis and Action Plan areas can be used to reflect on any gaps or need for evolution of the program’s processes.

Site Visit

• The executive analysis is a blueprint for a successful visit. Review it with the site visitors in advance so you know what to expect. Then just follow the process, one step at a time.
• For your first site visit, it’s a lot. It takes time to figure it all out.
• Ask CoAEMSP for help. They want you to succeed. This is not a game of “gotcha.”
• Connect with other program directors. Don’t be afraid to ask your peers for advice.

Surveys – Student, Graduates, and Employers

• Set up the survey in Survey Monkey or Google Forms. Use the CoAEMSP templates. 
• Text or email – it’s mobile-friendly and can be completed quickly.
• Current students - survey at terminal competency exam.
• Graduate survey - text graduates the link 6-12 months after graduation.
• Employers – explain the “why” behind the information requested – it helps completion rates and quality of information go up.

Clinical Coordinators

• Depending on the size of your program, separate the role of clinical coordinator from lead instructor. It’s typically too much for one person to do both jobs.
• The clinical coordinator does not need to be a full-time job and can be a shared responsibility, but it does need to have someone dedicated to it.
• The clinical coordinator builds important relationships with clinical sites. They can also get feedback from students regarding the experience – what worked, and how to make it better. This is invaluable. But you must make sure somebody has time to do this well.

Medical Director

• This can be the most challenging aspect of directing a program. 
• Propose a timeline of regular engagement with the program. Options include lectures (or specific portions of a lecture), round table discussions, case reviews, and time with students during MD shifts.
• Empower the MD to be a bridge between the program and clinical affiliates.
• Engage the MD throughout the cohort – the more face time with students, the better. Avoid engaging them only when there is a problem.

Administration

• Engage with Administration regularly, make sure they understand that your shared goal is student success.
• Share key findings from the Resource Assessment Matrix (RAM), Annual Report, Graduate and Employer Surveys, and other program assessment strategies; show them what’s working and where you need help.
• Leverage the advisory committee to foster engagement with the program’s communities of interest.

Educational Resources & Information

• Many resources are available on the CoAEMSP website in the Resource Library.
• Monitor your email for important information from CoAEMSP, including updates in the e-Newsletter.
• Attend or view the many webinars offered by CoAEMSP on accreditation topics.
• Consider attending ACCREDITCON to take a deep dive into AEMT and paramedic program accreditation. It’s also a great place to meet and network with other program directors.

Anything we missed? Let CoAEMSP know – we are here to help. We are proud to serve on the CoAEMSP Board of Directors because we believe accreditation is a valuable tool to make your program stronger. And CoAEMSP is ready to be your partner every step of the way.

Joanne Piccininni, EdD, NRP, MICP, has spent 30 years in various roles within the EMS community, currently serving as program director of the Paramedic Science Program at Bergen Community College in New Jersey. D. Troy Tuke, BSN, RN, NRP, is the program director for the Paramedic Program at MountainView Hospital Paramedic Institute in Las Vegas. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians sponsors both on the CoAEMSP Board.

Webinar this Month

Medical Director Responsibilities

Thursday, October 23, 1-2 PM Central Time

with Dr. Maia Dorsett

The role of the paramedic program medical director is to support educational programs in preparing competent, practice-ready graduates. This webinar will provide a detailed overview of the medical director's roles & responsibilities outlined by the CAAHEP Standards and how they translate into day-to-day engagement with faculty, students, and clinical partners. We will explore practical strategies for effective collaboration with program directors, clinical coordinators, and local EMS agencies to build a supportive learning environment and opportunities for medical directors to positively impact paramedic education.

The Value of Medical Direction 
in EMS Training Programs

Check out the latest from CAPCE here.

Registration opens on November 1 for these workshops in February!

Information Worth Repeating

The Resource Assessment Process

Programs are required to evaluate their services in various ways, obtaining input from multiple sources. In the larger picture of Paramedic educational program operation, resource assessment is a process that can include many components: regular surveys or evaluations from students; end of program evaluations from students; evaluations from students on specific clinical, field, and capstone field internship rotations and preceptors; comments from students, faculty, employers, and Advisory Committee members; CoAEMSP Annual Report; and the use of other available tools for example a SWOT analysis (strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

Distance Education

The process for notifying CoAEMSP that a program is offering a distance option is being phased in. If you are currently using this modality, we encourage you to review the CoAEMSP Policies and Procedures. Additionally, a Distance Education Evaluation Tool is available in the CoAEMSP Resource Library. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Distance Education is also available.

Timelines

January 1, 2026

A tab will be added to the CoAEMSP Self-Study Report to include data on your distance education program. The information will be based on the Distance Education Evaluation Tool.

January 1, 2026

New LoR applications will provide information on distance education.

July 1, 2026

Programs submitting a Self-Study Report (SSR) after this date will be required to complete relevant information pertaining to distance education.

Programs currently offering a distance education model are exempt from notifying CoAEMSP. That information will be included in their next self-study report.

Milestones

Amanda Ward, MAEd, EMTP, Program Director of the Paramedic Program sponsored by Crafton Hills College, Yucaipa, CA, earned the Masters of Art in Education degree conferred on April 22, 2024. by The University of Phoenix.